Tips for preparing for Physics final exams?

[ktsa]

Hi. There.
Please, I am preparing for the final exam in physics 200, athabasca univ, and I am having some anxiety. Can you guys give me some tips and strategies on how to deal well with the exam and to have a good grade?

 

[fresh_42]

Hi. There.
Please, I am preparing for the final exam in physics 200, athabasca univ, and I am having some anxiety. Can you guys give me some tips and strategies on how to deal well with the exam and to have a good grade?

I have summarized my experiences in the following article:
https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/10-math-tips-save-time-avoid-mistakes/

 

[Choppy]

Additional tips:

• Learn as much as you can about the format of the exam... multiple choice, short answer, the number of questions, what's expected in terms of each written response (i.e. how much work to show) etc.
• If available, track down previous years' exams and work through the problems on those.
• Try to predict the questions that will be asked and prepare answers. If you were the instructor of the course and had the same syllabus, what questions would you ask? In my experience, successful students were quite good at predicting what would be on the exam... not the exact questions of course, but they could usually get in the right ballpark for the lion's share of them.
• Seek help for those topics that are still a little fuzzy for you. Learn as much as you can about the homework questions that you weren't successful with.
• In your studies, try to get comfortable applying the material to new situations outside of what you've specifically covered. Dare to explore new contexts.
• Put the time in from the beginning. This goes back to the beginning of the course, if you can. And starts right now if you haven't been doing it yet. Schedule regular study intervals so that you can cover the material.
• If you get stuck on something in your studies, don't be afraid to ask for help with it. Lots of students unfortunately see asking for help as a negative thing. Instead, try to adopt the mindset that you and all of your classmates are all on the same team. Your professor is your coach. Your TAs are the assistant coaches. And you all have the same goal... developing a strong and deep understanding of the material. They are they to help you overcome any challenges.
• Do as much as you can to keep the rest of your life in balance. Get adequate sleep. Eat properly. Get exercise. Socialize. Be constructive with your down time. Surround yourself with positive people who have similar goals. When any of these dimensions of your life is strained, it makes success in your studies that much more difficult.

 

[ktsa]

Thank you so much for your help.